Laterally expanded oil seal



Aug. 6, 1940. J. H. vlcToR Er AL LATERALLY EXPANDED OIL SEAL Filed Dec.29, 1939 Patented Aug. 6, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,210,823 LATERALLYEXPANDED on. SEAL John H.

stein, facturing &

Victor,"Wilmette, and Wilburn F. Bern- Brookfield, Ill., assignors toVictor ,Manu- Gasket Company,

Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of Illinois 3 Claims.

disclosed, the seal construction comprises a split or sectional sealingdiaphragm or element adaptshaft,

in which the diaphragm rotates and which shell or casing is mountedwithin the housing or surrounding structure.

In the present novel construction, the spaced sealing surfaces of thesectional or split diaphragm or sealing member are located within thechannelled portion of the confining shell and optimum sealing efficiencywith a minimum of frictional resistance between the relatively rotatableparts. By reason of this construction, the diaphragm or sealing '25element may be securely mounted upon a shaft having an irregular orrough contour or surface, and its sealing face maintained in continuoussealing contact by means of a garter spring or the like exerting anoutward pressure or force tending to maintain the sealing member insealing relationship with its confining shell. f

In the illustrative embodiment, the sectional or split sealing member ordiaphragm is formed with a substantially diamond-shaped annular openingor recess in which the garter spring seats and exerts a lateral orexpansive force which presses the laterally movable sections intosealing contact with the shell or casing. This expansive effect is suchas to maintain a sealing contact regardless of whether the shaft isstationary or rotating, but when the shaft is rotating at a relativelyhigh speed, centrifugal action tends to force the spring radiallyoutward, and since it is conned within an opening or recess provided inthe diaphragm or sealing element, this centrifugal action on the springwill positively force the outer ends of the sealing sections intosealing contact with the confining shell.

The present novel construction, although providing a most effective sealfor 'the purposes set forth, maintains the frictional resistancebetween.

the diaphragm or sealing element and confining shell at a minimum. Thisis accomplished by the novel sealing relationship and by the additionrotatable Application December 29, 1939, Serial No. 311,494

vof graphite to the contacting or sealing surfaces of the sealingelement.

Further objects are to provide aconstruction of maximum simplicity,efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further5 objects, advantages and capabilities as will later `more fully appearand are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts il- 10 lustrated in the accompanying drawing, andwhile we have shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to beunderstood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, andcomprehends other details, arrangements of parts, 15 features andconstructions without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical cross section through the novel sealmounted on a rotatable shaft.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the novel seal mountedupon a shaft, the structure being identical with the construction ofFig. 1 except for the inclusion of a reenforcing washer.

Fig. 3 is a'view similar to Fig. l'but showing 25 an alternate form ofsealing diaphragm or membex. y

Referring more particularly to Figspl and 2 of the drawing, the novelembodiment therein i1- lustrated comprises ing casing I for the sealingelement or diaphragm and consisting of a lpair of angular sections 2 and3 adapted to be suitably secured together to form an annularchannel-shaped member adapted to encompass and confine a sectional orsplit 35 sealing element or diaphragm l'. The sealing member 4 is pressfitted upon the shaft 5 and is shown as comprising opposed orcomplementary sections 6 and 6a. Each is provided with a substantiallyV-shaped annular recess 1 formed in 40 its inner face for the receptionof a garter spring 8 and an annulargroove 9 formed in its contacting orwipingface to provide spaced sealing surfaces I0 andl 10a. In order toaugment the sealing eect and prevent the entrance or pas- 4,5 sage ofany lubricant or other iiuid, dust, or other foreign particles into theinterior of the seal and between its sealing surfaces, the groove 9 isunder-cut at Il.

In Fig. 2 the sealing sections 6 and 6a are reen- 50 forced by means ofa metal washer or split ring I2 suitably embedded or encased within thematerial of the diaphragm in such manner as to add strength and rigidityto the assembly.

Fig. 3. discloses an alternate embodiment of 55 a confining shell orenclos- 30- a suitable lubricant the .invention in which the sealingdiaphragm or member I3, although split as at I4 and provided with asubstantially diamond-shaped recess I5 for receiving and housing thegarter spring 8, is formed as an integral unit in that it is unitedadjoining its inner diameter. In this form of the invention, thecontacting or wiping faces I8 are not shown as grooved.

In the several illustrative embodiments of the invention, the contactingor wiping faces of the sealing member or diaphragm are preferably loadedwith graphite II to materially reduce the frictional resistance of thesealing member and its wiping contact with the confining or retainingshell I. Although the drawing does not show the housing or surroundingstructure in which the shaft rotates, it is to be understood that theouter diameter of the conning shell is mounted, as

by means of a tight press t, in this housing or surrounding structure sothat the seal construction electively seals the space between the shaftand the surrounding housing. If desired, I8 may be packed or confinedwithin the shell I for maintaining the diaphragm and sealing partslubricated.

From the above description and the disclosure in the drawing, it will bereadily seen that the novel oil seal herein disclosed will effectivelyseal the space between the shaft and surrounding housing against theescape or entrance of lubricants, industrial and other fluids, dust andother foreign particles, the sealing being effected in both directions.The novel sealing diaphragm or element and the garter spring carriedwithin its confines are so constructed and arranged that the spring,either of the contractile or expansible type, applies its force orpressure against the angular surfaces of the recesses 'I and I5 when theshaft is not rotating, and when rotating, acts on .the outer angularsurfaces of these recesses due to the centrifugal action or forceimposed on the spring, s'o that an effective sealing contact ismaintained at all times between the diaphragm or sealing element and itsconning shell I regardless of the eccentricity or misalignment existingin the shaft. The sealing diaphragm or element may be composed of anysuitable sealing or packing material such as synthetic rubber or plasticmaterial, leather in the form of natural sheet or fabricated ofiiberized or shredded leather mixed with a suitable binder, etc. f

Having thus disclosed the invention, we claim:

1. An external oil seal for sealing a rotatable shaft andlts surroundinghousing against4 the escape or passage of lubricants. water or othercooling or industrial fluids as well as dust or other foreign particles,comprising a confining shell of channel-shape adapted to be mounted inthe surrounding tending side walls and a sealing member adapted to bemounted on the shaft for rotation therewith and having a wiping contactwith the side walls of the shell, said sealing member being split toform spaced sections having opposed substantially V-shaped recesses,"and a contractile spring seating within said recesses and engaging theinclined surfaces of said recesses to laterally force the split sectionsinto wiping and sealing contact with the side walls of the shell.

2. A laterally expanded oil seal comprising an enclosing shell ofchannel-shape adapted to be mounted in a housing surrounding a rotatableshaft and having inwardly projecting side walls, and a sealing memberadapted to be mounted by a press fit upon the shaft for rotationtherewith and having a wiping contact with its `enclosing shell, saidmember comprising a pair of spaced radially extending sealing elementshaving lateral sealing contact with the opposite side walls of theshell, said sealing elements each having an opposed substantiallyV-shaped recess and a garter spring within said recesses and .engagingthe inclined sides thereof to force said elements into sealing contactwhen the shaft is rotating or stationary, and a reenforcing washerembedded in the sealing member.

3. An oil and fluid seal comprising a channelshaped confining shelladapted to be mounted in a housing surrounding a rotatable shaft andhaving inwardly projecting side walls, a sealing member adapted to bepressed' upon and rotatable with' the shaft and provided with opposedsealing faces, said member being split to provide a pair of sealingelements and each having an opposed, substantially V-shaped recess and aspring disposed within said recesses for laterally expanding the sealingelements andA forcing their opposed Sealing faces into wiping contactwith the interior of the side walls of the conning Shell to therebyeffectively seal the space between the shaft and surrounding housing.

JOHN H. VICTOR. WILBURN F. BERNSTEIN.

housing and having inwardly ex-l

